Helen Irene Sigurdson

Helen Irene Sigurdson, age 95, passed away peacefully on June 26, 2024 in Scottsdale, Arizona. She was born January 14, 1929, in Eau Claire, to Arne and Elfrieda Rindal. She married Vernon SIgurdson in December 1952 in Dubuque, Iowa. She attended Eau Claire schools and graduated from Eau Claire High School in 1948. She later graduated with a Diploma in Nursing from Luther Hospital in Eau Claire.

After graduation from Nursing School, Helen began her nursing career at the VA Hospital in Madison in 1952. She and Vernon moved to Rhinelander in 1954, where she resumed her nursing career, working at St. Mary's Hospital and the Schiek Clinic prior to having a distinguished career as the Oneida County Supervising Nurse, where she was instrumental in implementing Oral Polio Immunization Clinics throughout Oneida County in the early ‘60s. 

After an early retirement, she returned to nursing at St. Mary's Hospital as a Diabetic Nurse Educator, a position she loved. 

Shortly after the death of her husband Vern, she found new meaning as a private caregiver and later as a grand nanny several days a week for several years. This work kept Helen vital and loving life.

Helen loved her family and would do anything for them. She was a loving, loyal, hard-working woman whose primary intention was to do the good and right thing, and to be helpful to whomever was in need. Growing up, Helen and her family were members of The First Norwegian Evangelical Church in Eau Claire, and later a lifelong member of Trinity Lutheran Church in Rhinelander, where she devoted much of her later years to its work and mission. Helen was an avid knitter, baker and loyal Packers and Badgers fan. She enjoyed gardening, traveling, visiting shut-ins and was a proud member of the Sons of Norway Lodge 5-620.

In the fall of 2021, Helen moved to Scottsdale, Arizona, where she lived with her daughter Karen and her husband until her death.

She is survived by her son Jon and daughters Karen Willfahrt (David) and Pam Wells (Joel), and stepson Richard Sigurdson, grandchildren Jennifer (Patrick), Jon Robert (Shawna), Gerrit (Raquel), Hanneke (Andrew), Craig (Jamie), Michael (Sara), step-grandchildren Kyle Willfahrt (Jodi) and Kari Willfahrt (Jordan) and great-grandchildren McKenzie, Summer, Oliver, Saskia, Theo and Julia and Tyler Gray and step-great-grandchildren Wells and Westin Willfahrt, sister-in-law Ellie Rindal, niece Sheri Nielsen and nephews Mark and Scott Rindal.

She is preceded in death by her parents Arne and Elfrieda Rindal, her loving husband Vernon and her devoted brother Roald Rindal and daughter-in-law Deborah Sigurdson.

A Celebration of Life is planned for 11 a.m. on October 11, 2024 (visitation from 10 to 11 a.m.) at Trinity Lutheran Church in Rhinelander. Funeral affiliation will be announced when confirmed and available. Charitable donations may be made to Trinity Lutheran Church in Rhinelander to support their mission work.